Founder of Oscar winning AMS Neve praised by his peers at Burnley Business Awards

One of Burnley's most respected, admired and talented individuals has won the borough's first ever Business Leader of the Year award.

Mark Crabtree OBE, the founder of Oscar-winning sound-making success story AMS Neve, was given the inaugural honour at the latest Burnley Business Awards.

Chairman of the influential Burnley Bondholders for the last eight years, Mr Crabtree has proved to be not only a loyal flag-waver for his home town but also an inspiration to the borough's next generation of talents.

He has spearheaded AMS Neve in a glorious era for the Burnley company whose products are used in recording studios across the globe.

In recent years the vast majority of Oscar-winning films have been recorded and/or mixed using products he created, transforming the sound of film and resulting in him receiving a second personal Oscar in 2000.

The humble tech wizard and former old boy of Burnley Grammar School, described his latest award as "extra special", coming as it did from his home town, and even joked it was up there with the prestige of AMS Neve collecting Academy Awards.

He said: "Receiving my personal award at Towneley Hall in my home town of Burnley was lovely. It's nice to win all these fancy American things but to receive an accolade from your local peers is something else.

"Winning industry awards sees you stnading in front of customers, but winning a Burnley Business award sees you receiving it in front of your peer group and friends. Both set the pulses racing to be honest."

Mark also recently opened the flagship Landmark digital hub facility in the fomer Grammar School building on the edge of Burnley town centre, and is passionate about educating the next generation of Burnley youngsters in technology, supporting UCLan's expansion in Burnley.

He added: "It is an exciting time for the borough at the moment with Landmark opening and the expansion of UCLan. I am also very proud of the Primary Engineers scheme, which I brought to the town's primary schools in 2014. We are now seeing the results of this making a difference with our young people."